As Brazil is reeling under a devastating cyclone, at least 21 people have died and hundreds have been displaced owing to floods in several cities in the southern part of the country, Al Jazeera reported. According to authorities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, additional bodies are being found as floodwaters recede. The cyclonic storm had an impact on as many as 60 cities, Governor Eduardo Leite claimed.
Devastating hurricane hit Brazil
The most recent of a string of extreme weather events, the hurricane that struck Brazil on Tuesday (September 6), emphasises the risks posed by storms that are becoming more common and intense as a result of climate change. Earlier in June, at least 13 people were killed and hundreds more residents were displaced by a hurricane in southern Brazil. Meanwhile, severe rainfall in February caused landslides and flooding that resulted in at least 65 fatalities in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo.
The death count likely to increase
The flooding on Monday (September 4), according to Governor Leite, was the state's deadliest climate-related catastrophe ever. He claimed that 15 of the fatalities that were reported occurred in Mucum. Meanwhile, social media videos showed the community being overwhelmed by the rising water. “There are still people missing. The death toll might climb higher. The town of Mucum as we knew it no longer exists,” Mayor Mateus Trojan told Radio Gaucha as reported by Al Jazeera.
What did Brazilian President say?
Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in a social media post, “I would like to express my solidarity with the population of Rio Grande do Sul, which is experiencing the heavy rains that have already caused the death of at least four people.” “The head of civil defence goes to the state to help remedy the problems caused by heavy rains. We will do everything to help the Gaucha population through this moment,” the post added.
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